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15 Signs That The Quality Of Jobs In America Is Going Downhill Really Fast

By Michael Snyder, on July 7th, 2013

Trying to find a job in America today can be an incredibly frustrating experience. Most of the jobs that are available seem to pay very little, and there is intense competition for just about any job that is open. But it wasn’t always like this. When I was in high school, I was immediately hired when I applied for a job at McDonalds because they were so desperate for workers that they would hire just about anyone that could flip a burger. But in this economic environment, a single nationwide hiring event conducted by McDonalds resulted in a million job applications, and only a small percentage of those applicants were actually hired. Our economy simply does not produce enough jobs for everyone anymore, and the percentage of “good jobs” continues to decline. That means that it is getting really hard to find a job that will enable you to support a family, and a lot of people end up doing jobs that they are massively overqualified for. But when times are tough, people are going to do what they have to do in order to survive.

One thing that we have seen in recent years is an explosion in the number of “temp workers” in America. Even some of the largest companies in America are using them. They like the flexibility of being able to bring in workers when they need them and of being able to dump them the moment they don’t need them anymore. Sadly, those that work in the “temp industry” often work in deplorable conditions for very little pay. The following is a brief excerpt from an absolutely outstanding Pro Publica article…

In cities all across the country, workers stand on street corners, line up in alleys or wait in a neon-lit beauty salon for rickety vans to whisk them off to warehouses miles away. Some vans are so packed that to get to work, people must squat on milk crates, sit on the laps of passengers they do not know or sometimes lie on the floor, the other workers’ feet on top of them.

This is not Mexico. It is not Guatemala or Honduras. This is Chicago, New Jersey, Boston.

The people here are not day laborers looking for an odd job from a passing contractor. They are regular employees of temp agencies working in the supply chain of many of America’s largest companies – Walmart, Macy’s, Nike, Frito-Lay. They make our frozen pizzas, sort the recycling from our trash, cut our vegetables and clean our imported fish. They unload clothing and toys made overseas and pack them to fill our store shelves. They are as important to the global economy as shipping containers and Asian garment workers.

Many get by on minimum wage, renting rooms in rundown houses, eating dinners of beans and potatoes, and surviving on food banks and taxpayer-funded health care. They almost never get benefits and have little opportunity for advancement.

But these are the types of jobs the U.S. economy is “creating” these days. Low paying part-time jobs are continually becoming a bigger part of the economy. This is one of the primary reasons why the middle class in America is shrinking.

You can’t support a family on what most of these part-time jobs pay. But our economy is not producing many high quality full-time jobs these days. The average quality of American jobs just continues to sink.

The following are 15 signs that the quality of jobs in America is going downhill really fast…

#1 The number of part-time workers in the United States has just hit a brand new all-time high, but the number of full-time workers is still nearly 6 million below the old record that was set back in 2007.

#10 High paying manufacturing jobs continue to be shipped overseas. Sadly, there are fewer Americans employed in manufacturing now than there was in 1950 even though the population of the country has more than doubled since then.

#11 Today, the United States actually has a higher percentage of workers doing low wage work than any other major industrialized nation does.

#12 The U.S. economy continues to trade good paying jobs for low paying jobs. 60 percent of the jobs lost during the last recession were mid-wage jobs, but 58 percent of the jobs created since then have been low wage jobs.

#13 Back in 1980, less than 30% of all jobs in the United States were low income jobs. Today, more than 40% of all jobs in the United States are low income jobs.

#14 At this point, an astounding 53 percent of all American workers make less than $30,000 a year.

#15 According to a study that was released by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, only 24.6 percent of all jobs in the United States qualify as “good jobs” at this point. In a previous article, I detailed the three criteria that they used to define what a “good job” is….

#1 The job must pay at least $18.50 an hour. According to the authors, that is the equivalent of the median hourly pay for American workers back in 1979 after you adjust for inflation.

#2 The job must provide access to employer-sponsored health insurance, and the employer must pay at least some portion of the cost of that insurance.

#3 The job must provide access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

All of this is absolutely heartbreaking.

Once upon a time, just about any adult that was willing to work hard in America could go out and find a good paying job that would support a middle class lifestyle.

Some high percentage of health insurance with high deductibles and must use their doctors.

And they will never let you last enough years to qualify for a retirement plan. nobody last more then 5 years at a job anymore.

Read the fine Print !

the end…

Jim Davis

There are professionals here in Florida not making $18.50/hr. It’s sad. Meanwhile expenses on necessities just continue to rise – health insurance, home insurance, medical care, utilities, etc. Even summer kid’s jobs are scarce. My daughter went on two interviews for an ice cream shop summer job, and they were going to call her back for a third! For a stupid ice cream job! They never did. It’s getting insane out there.

Tom_F

My nephew had THREE interviews for a sales-clerk position in a retail mall. Didn’t get the gig. I was skeptical of his story, until I read your post. Things are changing…

MeMadMax

I did that with boeing back when the 787 was reaching final design stages and they were looking for tech people everywhere. Got to the third “stage”/interview. Didn’t get a call back. Not a peep… It’s all good as those 300 some odd people all go laid off earlier this year now that the 787 is in production…

StinaMarie

I live in northern Maine and I can tell you that hardly anyone makes $18.50 an hour. Majority of our jobs out here are public service or hospitality. Our Paper mill hires at $13.00 an hour and is considered to be the highest paying “good” career job you can get without numerous years of college that you will have no hope of paying back on local wages. Teachers in the area make between $25,000- $30,000 a year. RN’s start off at $14.00 an hour. It’s sad because both of these careers carry hefty student loan debt. One thing I can say about my area though there is work. almost everyone has 2 jobs to make ends meet but at least those jobs are there to have. We are a hard working bunch up here and the community is a farming community so the average family grows their own food in the summer, makes their own laundry soap, hangs their clothes out on the line and just basically does everything they can to save money and make ends meet before the snow flies. I love where I live and am grateful to be a CNA since that profession gives me some much needed job security even if the job is low paying. I’m sad at the direction this country is heading and where we are already at. Good luck to everyone, stay safe, and God Bless.

GSOB

Ditto StinaMarie,

from Colorado

garand555

It’s been bad for a while, and I suspect that it’ll get worse. I pulled a principal’s emails in an FOIA request a couple of years ago, and the amount of people looking for teaching jobs was staggering. One job opening would have dozens of requests. I expect that it’s even worse now, because the pittance that we pay teachers out here is higher than most other jobs, and teaching is viewed as a job that has security. Of course, most of these people have no clue about the petty politics that goes on in our school systems with petty little tyrants making up 1/3-1/2 of the administration.

Tom_F

Gimme a break, ANOTHER whine about how “teachers are underpaid”?!?!! They work 180 days/year (240 for a regular f/t job), get health and retire out at 55. Chicago public school teachers just struck and won a package paying an AVERAGE of $100K/yr. Don’t take my word for it, just google it.

garand555

I’m not in Chicago, and we do pay teachers a pittance out here. If you think it’s a whine, then you should see what a teacher out here works. It’s a lot more than 180 days, often 12 hours a day when school is in session and they get treated like complete crap. Most teachers out here will be making less than $45k after 20 years of teaching, no matter whether they are really good, or really bad. In today’s society, that’s really the bottom of middle class without a second comparable income, and only with a lot of credit. It’s better than most of the jobs out here. But it’s not great.

Jaybird7

See them keep voting blue state politics in Maine. They don’t seem to get the correlation of voting for socialism and the demise of prosperity

GSOB

Haven’t connected the pin heads yet.

John W.

Think it’s bad now just wait until amnesty and the thirty million more workers looking for non existent jobs. Looks like the good days are gone and no one seems to care.

Jim Davis

I agree. Both political parties are actively working AGAINST the interests of the citizens in favor of the banksters and corporatists.

2Gary2

barak goldman sachs obama is a big disappointment.

SusieC

You said it!! This whole economic mess has been created by the International Banksters and the government cronies (all of them from the top down) they own!!

Aleman

Hey John:
The fruit farmers in the upper midwest are dying for pickers. Lots of jobs there, and they’ll even give you a cot to sleep in. So don’t say there are no jobs. They’re just jobs beneath you. Too many young people think they should have a “good job” handed to them. Talk to your grandparents about what they did in the 50’s and 60’s to make ends meet.

markthetruth

It used to be called “WORK” nobody wants to work anymore.

the end…

SusieC

If you mean nobody wants to work at menial jobs for which their education and experience vastly over qualify them, you’re correct, they don’t.

OldFart

Bravo! Here is a true American talking!

OldFart

Hu….is this the kind of country you really want to live in? You seem qualified to live happy and proudly in a 3rd. world country. Sad comment, yours!
Have you ever aimed high? Sigh…

peaceangel

You are sooooo right. Even though the government has worked hard to kill off all the farmers and ranchers, there are still plenty who cannot get people to work. Recently I saw a Washington apple farmer on CNN who was putting a call out to the whole nation. He was offering $13.00 per hour and insurance and a place to live free for people to pick apples and he cannot find anyone to do it. The migrant workers have been doing these jobs for decades BUT lots of them have returned home and it is harder and more expensive for them to migrate every few months and follow the crops. The entitlement generation has no interest in working anywhere and that is a huge problem.

MeMadMax

Maybe because we didn’t know?
I was in washington during 2011(when that story was published) and was desperately looking for any job(bremerton area however). I’m planning on making a comeback to WA state however, now that it seems to have settled down there. And will hopefully get a job. Picking apples, now that I know about it…

SusieC

Spare me, you frigging gov hack apologist. That’s why people ‘get and education’ and work hard to make their way up the ladder…the idea is to progress out of minimum wage jobs which, previously, Americans were able to do. Then came the Internationalist thrust and Billy Bob Clinton who signed NAFTA and GATT and then Georgie Bush for brains who added to them, and all of our ‘good’ jobs and all the jobs supporting them and a consequence of them, were shipped overseas and/or decimated. Don’t you get it? The object of these bastards is TO RENDER THIS COUNTRY INTO A 3RD WORLD NATION. Think about it.

markthetruth

As a tax payer in NJ it’s becoming more an more prevalent that the Servants of our towns are overpaid in one town the police chief is making more then the

Mondobeyondo

Three interviews? For an ice cream job? That’s insane! For an IT or business job, yeah I could understand that. But… really?

these workers will get a ” free vacation on us” as they collect unemployment Plus get a subsidy from the Union .

Put them back to earn their Money we don’t get free Vacations.

the end…

kathym2

I am wondering if I will ever work again. Even the part time jobs I used to call crap jobs don’t even call for an interview. I wonder if they ever look at my resume.
I used to think I was highly qualified to do receptionist and secretarial work. I did it for many years. Now, to be a receptionist, I have to know bookkeeping, payroll, sales and management just to work part time 3 days a week for $8 which I made just after high school 29 years ago. They have taken 3 or 4 job titles and lumped them altogether into one poor paying job.

MichaelfromTheEconomicCollapse

My wife and I will pray that you will get a job. Keep hanging in there.

Michael

yer mom

Yeah you see that around here in the papers. A job that used to pay 12-15 dollars an hour now wants to pay 8.

GSOB

That’s really tightening up isn’t it?

krystal

Since 2000 all job growth has gone to immigrants

Ricky Ricardo

I sympathize. I had to go back to school to train to be a “medical records tech.” A hospital sponsored the training. Then when I graduated from the program with a certificate, I applied to the sposnoring hospital and they refused to hire me!

Patricia Moore Malin

I have heard stories like that before unfortunately Ricky. I was going to get a certificate in medical records but I was warned that it’s extremely hard to break into the field. I’m praying for America and my fellow Americans who are looking for work. Good luck!!

Swagato Barman Roy

So the hospital sponsored your education out of the goodness of their heart? That sounds awesome.

K

kathym2, one of my younger cousins recently got a job with the State of Missouri as a computer tech. It seems while many cities and the fed are in poor financial shape. It seems some of the states are somewhat better off. I do not know which state you live in. But most have internet sites showing job openings. I have noticed even low level state officials, always have secretaries. Just a thought.

gjohnsit

I worked almost 20 years as an IT worker until my department at UC Berkeley ran into budget problems in 2009 and everyone got laid off. I was the worst part of this Depression and I was out of work for about 20 months. It only ended because I decided to join the Peace Corps to do something different with my life. Of course I made 3rd world wages there, but I’m glad I did it. I got out 2 months ago and am looking for work now. The economy appears to be a little better than it was in 2010, but not by much.

John W.

gjohnsit,Did you know Steve Aquirre by any chance? He was a Master Chief in the command we both worked at and Berkeley hired him when he retired.

gonetoshit

Yes he lost his job too and subsequently starved last August. Great guy, knew him well.

BuckJohnson

The American standard of living and work will continue to go down, period. We are going into the twilight of the American empire and it won’t be a pretty few decades you can count on that.

origionalwinja

if we can get rid of obummer and everyone like him in congress it wont be bad at all. with an intelligent congress, and a worthwhile president this country could be turned around in 12 to 18 months!

SusieC

First you have to get rid of the International Banksters nee Money Changers that own these bastards and the system generally via the Fed Reserve. I’m for it.

peaceangel

Kathy go to consumer dash rated dot com and check out their 4 five star rated work at home programs. THIS is a consumer rating company that takes on a product and uses volunteers to test the program and to review and rate it. I know several ppl who are using these programs and they ALL work and pay way more than $8.00 per hour. ALL the referrals are to companies that do ALL the training and have daily support and none of them have ongoing costs AFTER you pay like $50 for any one of them. With these plans you will find you already have the skills to do them BUT all of them teach you everything. Good luck and I pray for you also.

markthetruth

Feed the Fish

The number of Americans receiving subsidized food assistance from
the federal government has risen to 101 million, representing roughly a
third of the U.S. population.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates
that a total of 101,000,000 people currently participate in at least
one of the 15 food programs offered by the agency, at a cost of $114
billion in fiscal year 2012.

That means the number of Americans receiving food assistance has
surpassed the number of full-time private sector workers in the U.S.

the end…

2Gary2

sad thing is that most of those food stamp people do work. its the jobs paying such low wages that is the problem.

markthetruth

that’s the truth and the senior’s who’s SS stay’s the same and the prices, taxes , and their medication goes up, i know because of my mother.

the end…

SusieC

Will you PLEASE stop ending every post with “the end…..” It is egregiously annoying. Can’t you make a relevant point without it??

El Pollo de Oro

I like the way Markthetruth ends his posts with “the end.” It reminds of me of the old pre-1960s movies I watch.

El Fin.

Jonathan Callahan

the end…

Ghost11111111

Hahhahahhahahahhahaha

markthetruth

How to these people feed their pets or are they sending them to shelters AKA all the commercials for adopting a pet. And how are the pet stores doing so good.

the end…

Susana

cuz ppl have pets now instead of children

markthetruth

But one thing that “TICKS” me off is at least 30% of these people Smoke.

the end…

2Gary2

agreed

Snake_Oil_Baron

Every smoke saves the healthcare payer–taxpayer, insurance company, etc.–40 cents on average because they kill people before the really expensive care of old age is needed. Plus it reduces the number of years you need to live as an impoverished senior. Win-win.

slash345

nicotine is a natural anti-depressant, i quit smoking a year ago but the lack of jobs has me wanting to smoke again to fight back the depression. i really just want to step out in the middle of the highway and end my life

Ghost11111111

Its not a natural anti-depressant. Cigarettes reduce oxygen intake, damage ur liver, and other things. The anti-depressent thing is just in ur mind. Nicotine leaves ur blood in 72-96 hours after u quit smoking. Its the mind that makes it worse

2Gary2

I feel your pain.

Mondobeyondo

I know the feeling all too well. From personal experience, I’ve found that I’m actually overqualified to do certain work. And for the rest, experience doesn’t seem to matter much. You’d think that an experienced job seeker would have experience working in his/her favor. They know the game, know what to do to make things work or not work… Not so.

It’s coming to the time where you’ll need a bachelor’s degree just to be considered for that burger flipping job.

Crony

Prayers to you.

Susana

I had the same experience. We need to make our own jobs and food. grow food indoors and out. and build and tinker away. In DC the wages can be ok, not as much as i made in high school but a one bedroom jumped from 700 month to $2300. Oh yeah and get clean and reuse the pollution and industrialization and release non violent non fraud prisoners that each cost more 40k a yeaar.

GSOB

Praise the Lord ye saints of the Lord!

I am 52, if you count womb time.

I served in the USMC and the US ARMY.

In the Marines E-5 – Combat Engineer.

In the Army – Combat Medic.

The Marines rescued me from an already 2 year career flipping burgers at Denny’s in Texas City Texas back in 1981. Days after turning 21, I joined and almost 6 years later came out married, playing drums and wanting to pursue a music career, being supported by my WM spouse.

Anyways, this article hits home. We are in a recession folks and the only thing different between that and a depression is when you lose your job. I do not want to retire my full time job.

I have another 10 years I want to do, but I find it very hard to accept that I may have to start all over.

I am an IT tech and I work for the department of Veterans Affairs. Been there for 23 years.

Many people, including myself, received a notice that OPM is launching an evaluation of certain
series jobs. Several other non IT positions are being considered too.

What Micheal has written is pretty well overlooked or not considered as important. I mean this, hardworking, engaged people get the job done, but those people are really not in demand. It’s true that the government job is the good job based on the above criteria. However, organizations like the VA, even down to the local agencies have a glutton of over paid people.

Feeling under worked at times, as silly as it sounds,… is a matter of pride. VA pay’s many enough to run the place but they have been regulated to the menial tasks, which in turn creates an inefficient, centralized operation were it takes an act of Congress to have anyone removed but not hired.

My work environment is really a cut throat place because everyone is forced to play musical chairs when it comes to meaningful work. Then there’s the clicks, poor leadership and hiring practices that accompany any work environment – magnified even more so with these jobs.

Some of you lump all of government up and throw it out. The VA was established for the Veterans and their families. I see it this way,…when the VA starts reducing it’s own labor force, that’s a real sign.

Time to get back to the music?

Guest

GSOB your comments hit home with me because I’ve been working at the VA for 26 years. While I’m fortunate to have a well paying, fairly secure job, I am sick to death about the mentality there particularly the “leadership” . We get constant pep talks about “patient centered care” but in reality, it’s all about the bottom line. Needed services are being cut particularly to some of our oldest and neediest veterans all because some departments mismanaged their funding for years due to little or no oversight, so the solution is to cut services to the veteran. I’m talking about either very old, very ill vets. At any rate, we get a lot of talks about how important it is to provide services while at the same time telling us to find ways to find someone else to provide the care. I am sick to death of this but sadly cannot leave my job as I’m the primary breadwinner in my family, am too old to get another job elsewhere and am helping my children and grandchildren.

GSOB

Hey, I really appreciated that response Guest

disgusted

I know, lets all vote for a community organizer for president and lawyers for senators and reps!

Ralfine

The important thing is to look down on anybody who is below you and believe that one day you make it to the top, if you shut up, be an obedient citizen and do what you are told.
And if you want to blame someone – always blame the poor guy, the beggar, the homeless, the jobless.
Because it is all their fault.

Cosmic2011

So true.

Pencrna

I think the point is that, those crap foods are all the poor can afford. They probably haven’t heard of urban homesteading or have a clue how to do it if they’ve lived in cities all their lives. HBO did a special on obesity in America, and found that companies of junk food sell their products at extremely low prices in low income areas. A bag of chips and a soda are cheaper than ONE banana. I don’t blame the poor, I blame their parents, community and schools for not providing structure and teaching them how to survive. I blame the govt for buying their votes with welfare.

americalsgt

I have no Idea what the future will bring. Just lost my job and at 66 I’ll be lucky to get a part time job wearing a blue vest. Times are not good, and I don’t see them getting any better. I feel more fortunate than some. With 66 being the lucky number now, I will get some of the money back the government put in the magic lock box for me, but it won’t be enough. Please save your CNBC critique about how I should have saved a million dollars or two for my retirement. My wife and I raised three good boys, educated them, worked all our life and make do with what we have. I feel for the people I know who like me have just lost their jobs and are in their early 50’s with kids ready for college. I don’t feel sorry for myself, will look for a job, and will survive, but I’m concerned for the younger people.

Tim

At least you’ll get some of what you contributed to Social Security. I’ll be 38 next month, and I am almost certain that I won’t see any of my withholdings. And it’s a lot of money.

I hope you find something soon.

Cincinnati Dave

I feel for you – I am 58 years old – since 2007 I have had 4 jobs. The previous 3 Jobs I was let go – laid off. It was very very difficult to get on a payroll with each new lay off. My wife and I put 3 kids thru college and they are all now married and are all working – thank God for that – they are Self sufficient – this country is rapidly approaching 3rd world status – our ONLY hope is the soon return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! There is no other hope for America.

Kent Harris

I am a Christian, but I would say that many Christians feel that we should pray/hope for the rapture. Not to sound like a wet blanket, but we may find out that it may not occur. I believe in Christ’s Second Coming. When you read the Bible it never says we will not face the horrors of the Tribulation. The rapture came into being in the 1830s and prior to that it was solely Christ’s return. What we consider problems will pale in comparison to what is ahead. In fact, we will be praying for how bad we have it now.

Good Post. Many are hoping for a magic carpet ride out of this mess, and instead, they should be preparing for what is coming.

2Gary2

the only rapture that will happen is when the blondie song by the same name comes on the radio.

El Pollo de Oro

“The man from Mars stopped eating cars and eating bars/
And now he only eats guitars.”–Blondie “Rapture”

peaceangel

Check out my comment to Kathy. This is a great reprieve for many today.

squashpants

I feel for ya, Fellas. I have been very lucky. I lost a good computer job back in 2003, and had to change careers for lack of the skills to get another data processing job. I went to work in 2006 as an x-ray tech. I worked 5 1/2 years before they fired me (I didn’t fit into the supervisor’s desires for an all-female department, and I wouldn’t voluntarily go). At that point, I knew my chances of getting another x-ray job were slim. The market for techs had turned down in recent years, I was 61, and I had been fired. So, taking stock of my resources, I decided to retire. I moved us from Texas to Minnesota, purchased a condo outright (no mortgage), and will be getting Social Security starting this month (BTW, the spousal arrangement in SS is a fantastic deal!). I also have 3 pensions to draw on, and an annuity with an income rider that I am sitting on for as long as I can. We are doing fine on 35k a year. Couldn’t be happier. And prepping for TEOTWAWKI all the while.

americalsgt

I have to reply as you said X-ray. I was once a program coordinator of an x-ray program in RI and was an RT, but lost my accreditation when I went into sales and sold x-ray film from 1979-last week. Funny thing about x-ray film. They need it today about as much as a slide rule.

squashpants

Yes, a lot of water has flowed underneath that particular technological bridge.

Shawn DeFreitas

They took away your job because you were male???????? That is discrimination! Feminism is a poison on this country.

Mike Soup

Feminism is a poison. Absolutely. Anti-male rhetoric is rampant in the workplace these days. America is a liberal joke these days.

markthetruth

Here we go again we have to stop making things too easy for our Kids . They are becoming “spoiled rotten brats” and we are to blame , no more chores , watching to much TV ,playing video games ext. We have too many parents pushing their kids into sports, entertainment industry for a easy way out. Kids are more interested in doing something stupid on YouTube to become famous. While the Foreigner’s are out educating and Schooling themselves in the fields that count Engineering(all bio,mechanical,structural ext.) , biology , science , software programing. While our colleges are worry about Football,baseball and other sports more then academics. Because i hear all the time that good subject are too hard. So they that plain business as a major, that parents are paying outrageous money for.

We are the enablers of the Lazy , Low Schooled Generation that is coming !
and it starts from when there young too much

TV
Video gaming
No Chores
Buy them what they want.

They are going to be the Generation of ” USER ” able to use thing but have no idea how to repair them even not knowing where the spare tire is in the car.

Our Freedom has been used for the wrong reasons , we destroyed our moral, ethics and reasoning . And let our kids free to do all the wrong things.

the end…

Bumffuzled

Foreigners have FREE education/college as long as they meet the grade requirements to step into school, NOTHING to pay back once they get their degrees. Come to America, get hired without having to worry about Student Loan debts. All they get paid go in full to their bank account. Therefore, they can plan on buying a house, a nice car, even get married and have kids. The reality is different for our American kids. American kids have been gaining the reputation of “spoiled brats” (thanks to people like you…), end up not getting the jobs they deserve with the loan creditors on their backs either they have or not a job, most supposed jobs are lost to the “brighter and more dedicated ones” from foreign countries.
Your comment is senseless and typical of a misinformed person. Please be a good American! Back our American new generation up! My English has a strong foreign accent but I do!

MichaelfromTheEconomicCollapse

I feel for you. You worked hard and did everything right all your life, and now the system is failing you.

And you are right – the young people of this country don’t have a lot to look forward to.

Michael

peaceangel

Go to my comment above for Kathy and try that. I can tell you I get nothing for turning ppl onto this site and IT is real. You can make loads of money today online. Good luck.

tray2000

a by product of this economic collapse that is not getting much attention is the absolute explosion in the amount of people that are developing,and dying with complications from type 2 diabetes, More than 85% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Research is ongoing as to why the overweight are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. A prevalent theory is that being overweight causes cellular changes that make the cells resistant to insulin, a condition referred to as insulin resistance. the poor in america for the most part can only afford Foods rich in fats, and processed with can lead to obesity.According to a report from the NYC Health Department, the diabetes death rate reached an all-time high in 2011, with 67 deaths per 100,000. that translated to a death every 90 min . so the working poor receive an inadequate miss education, no access to escape poverty,.. and poor nutrition that leads to disease

Rodster

Processed foods should be to blame. Also most foods including breads, ice cream, soda’s all contain “high fructose corn syrup”. That was introduced in foods around the 1960’s.

jaxon64

ketchup, baked beans, jars of spaghetti sauce–and on and on….HFCS is a killer and costing billions and billions in health care costs.
Many diabetics don’t die but end up on some very expensive medical tx’s…dialysis from kidney failure, rehabs after amputations..eye surgeries…and on and on…HFCS, mountain dew, aspartame…poisons allowed to the public because of very rich lobbyists by the producers….

El Pollo de Oro

Tray2000: I live in Philadelphia, and in this city, you tell get a very good idea of how well off a neighborhood is by the size of the people. Go to Rittenhouse Square and Olde City (two of the most expensive parts of town), and people tend to be thinner on the whole. Rittenhouse Square is where you see the 50-year-old cougars with rock-hard abs wearing pricey designer clothes and shopping at Whole Paycheck. Ah, but come into my neighborhood (working class/lower middle class Irish/Polish/Italian/Puerto Rican Catholic), and people are much heavier. Go into the poor, dangerous ghetto areas, and people are downright huge thanks to all the processed crap they eat. Amputees in wheelchairs who have lost feet or legs to diabetes are a common sight.

North of the 52

Thank you for your perspective on this topic.
It is incredible that the doctors warn people about diabetes and few heed the message.

Rodster

Thankfully i’m self employed. There should be no doubt where we are headed as a global economy. They are interconnected now so when things get worse it will have a ripple effect for the other industrialized countries.

These poor jobs are already having a carry over effect on the entertainment industry. I was told by one of my customer’s that Nascar has had to lower it’s ticket prices because of the economy. The NFL has also had to make some concessions.

GSOB

Yes. I was surprised to pay only 9$ to see Monsters University at the Aurora theaters.

That’s 1 adult and 1
6 year old for
9 bucks total!

I thought the same thing Rodster

Raj

You are too much annoyed with US recent developmental changes and all. Changes are inevitable in any one’s life or for any country…

We have two faces of for the same coin….Optimistic and pessimistic ……you seem more for pessimistic…!!!! don’t try to drag all others to your way of thinking in pessimistic way

GSOB

Thanks for your spirit of Optimism Raj.

“He that already knows the high state which he does not as yet enjoy is the more grieved for the low condition in which he is yet held”

(Quoted)

mleblanc138

I’m in Orem Utah with a full time $10.30 an hour job with a fast growing company. I suppose that means 1 out of 4 Americans(or more) wish they were in my shoes. The sad part is I’m only 23 and with no college, although that means I also have no student debt.

GSOB

Join the military part time and get as many benefits as possible. It will make you theirs for 8 years but there are many doors to be opened if you understand and accept that you will be a soldier at least.

mleblanc138

I didn’t mean I’m sad because I have no college. I for one am glad that I opted out of that scam. I can always go later if I know precisely why I’m doing it in the first place. What I’m sad about is that 1 out of 4 Americans(or more) have it worse than I do, and I’m just an average guy aside from being Mormon and personally knowing one of the owners of the large company I work for.

GSOB

You can serve overseas in the military if you’d like, start a new chapter in life and not be just the average Mormon anymore, who knows the owner of who you work for.

Jim Davis

I strongly disagree with GSOB. Stay out of the military unless you want to be cannon fodder in one of Israel’s wars.

garand555

What am I seeing in my area? A few people are busy, busy, busy, but not pulling in as much as they would have in the past. Many are still riding on the status quo. But there are also many who are poor and on government assistance. But we’ve always been a poor state and our culture is different than the rest of the US. There are a few areas where the economy could implode and the government could collapse, and the people almost wouldn’t notice. Except for the government not being in their hair.

Matt Parkhouse, RN

I worked all my life as a nurse. Five years ago, at age 58, I came down with a bad gall bladder. Underwent surgery at the hospital I worked at (Penrose Hospital, in Colorado Springs, CO). The hospital’s surgeon botched the operation, I became septic and was in a coma for three weeks. After a second month of recovery and rehab, I went home to recover. The day before I was discharged, I was notified that I was being terminated “because I could no longer do the work”! My health insurance coverage went away a month later. I am now on disability and using Medicare, after being “self-pay” for four of the last five years. If I had not spent my entire working career with a “prepper mentality” and preparing for various “black swans”, we would had ended up homeless. As a nurse, I am aware that medical screw-ups happen. The behaviour of the Catholic corporation (Centura) that tossed me into the street was the real black swan…..

GSOB

Wow. I pray the Lord strengthens your
faith with His presence.

Amen

Rufus T Firefly

I am doing well but then I work or the government…guaranteed 40 hours, 4 weeks vacation, pension. Us government union guys elect our own bosses so we don’t face getting the short end of the stick like you non unionized sheeple inthe private sector do. Organize! Demand your fair share!
The bosses can afford it. Mke them pay their fair share. Fight (un)free trade

Remember this country was a lot better off in the 1950s when one-third of the private sector was unionized

im4truth4all

Government workers make between 50% to 75% more than their counterparts in the private sector and the nice thing about government jobs is work is optional – probably close to welfare. I can’t believe the public puts up with this.

Gay Veteran

“Government workers make between 50% to 75% more than their counterparts in the private sector”
PROOF please

im4truth4all

Simply type “government workers overpaid”.in the bing search engine. The CBO is just one among many.

Gay Veteran

lots of studies, many with an agenda, but you have to compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges

kenfrombayside

How true. I was a 16 federal employee at the GS9 level. A good portion of my “colleagues” did absolutely nothing and nobody said or did anything.

John W.

We were also the worlds largest creditor nation and manufacturer. Well the unions helped kill the manufacturing part and incompetent management and corrupt govt. working with the unions did the rest. How do unemployed people unionize/ Typical union mentality, strike themselves out of a job. The union bosses are still raking in the dough. Suckers.

Gay Veteran

get a clue, “free” trade with China is what is killing the economy

defaultplayer

“The bosses can afford it.”

WE ARE YOUR FREAKING BOSSES

Cosmic2011

I work with disabled adults. While I truly do love my job, it does not pay enough to pay bills and student loan debt. I just keep forebearing, deferring, and not buying. I figure this is a good pattern…for now.

Pirate Jo

It’s true that most jobs no longer support families, which is unfortunate, but that’s the way it is and I hope people respond to this by not having children. Frankly, if you don’t have the resources to support children, and if you think “someone” will be able to support them, think again. “The rest of us” are just as broke as you.

If enough people decide to go childfree, then maybe someday, when there aren’t so many people, the economy will be able to create enough jobs for everyone.

Even with low prevailing wages, if you and a few roommates go together on renting a house (there are a lot of McMansions available cheap right now) you can live a decent lifestyle.

Bad_Mr_Frosty

Hahahahaha. Are you serious? The government is shipping in millions of high-fertility 3rd world immigrants every year. Mexicans have 4 children per woman on average. Muslims have 6 children. The more kids, the more welfare.

That’s right, be a good little White American and stop having those evil, racist White children. Soon the USA will be overcrowded and multi-racial, just like Brazil, with beheadings at soccer matches and all.

Pirate Jo

At least I will not have offspring to live in those times and pay for all that welfare. The rabbits can duke it out for what’s left.

kenfrombayside

Guess what the democrats are obsessed with right now? Giving 11 – 30 million (nobody knows for sure) criminal lawbreakers legalization. Plus, they could sponsor their relatives; that would bring the total up to about 50 million aliens in our midst. Of course, these new citizens will vote for the vile democrats and their socialist giveaways. Most of them will be unskilled, uneducated, low IQ etc. Stop this outrageous bill now. Don’t sit on the sidelines.You are not wasting your time. The American people don’t want this bill. You have to do all you can do to stem the third world assault:
– Contact your 2 US Senators and rep in congress.
– after biz hours, leave a message on your DC rep’s voicemail. All US Senators have multiple offices so it would be a good idea to hit all of the. Remember, be civil and don’t threaten
– go to NUMBERSUSA then go to the take action button. You will be able to send faxes to your 2 US Senators and congressional for free. (I also gave a $50 donation).
– use Business Reply envelopes to state your opposition to America’s insane immigration policies and the proposed amnesty. Don’t give the parties any money.
– join an immigration group like FAIR. Strength thru numbers!
– go to the RNC & DNC sites to email them.
– Use the media: call a talk radio program; write a letter to your local paper. If the media outlet is liberal, then talk about economic impact of massive third world immigration.
– text everybody in your cell phone queue now.
IF YOU DO OR SAY NOTHING, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

Dave Webb

Think Depression. Because that is what it really is.

We, as a nation, have forgotten what happens in a Depression . . .

In a Depression, people cannot trust banks with their money because banks go under.

In a Depression, you drive an old car or truck that is paid for. Preferably one you can repair yourself if something goes wrong with it.

In a Depression, you only live in something that is paid for. Because your wages are likely to be something you cannot depend on week to week.

In this Depression, the jobs are being stolen by India and China. That means even good paying jobs are vulnerable.

Your top people representing you in the Congress are bought and paid for by the Corporations. Thus you have RIght To Work Laws that keep wages at a minimum and all the jobs go to the states with the lowest wages.

Employment rules and protections are non-existent in a non-union environment without the protection of labor contracts.

Unions are extinct except in government that is out of date.

Cheap retail goods are all coming from places like China.

Cars made in this country are a joke. They are the worst investment because of repair issues. SO a good number of people have bought cheap imports instead.
In a depression, the law is for the rich who can afford good legal help, not the poor. So stay away from anything concerning the law. You will not get justice. It was that way in the last Depression.

People old enough to remember the last big Depression of the 1930s know things we don’t about those times because they lived them. Most are now in their 80s or 90s and people think, “it isn’t that way anymore” but they are wrong. It is that way.
Don’t get sick. And if you do, you will lose everything you own. That is the way the “Doctoring” profession has made it.
So if you worked every hour of overtime you could get your hands on in a lifetime, it can all go up in smoke.

The government answer is big brother. Medicaid will both save you and ruin you financially.
The government representatives in Congress are 99% lawyers. They are the rich. You can check that out on the internet in a heartbeat. They don’t care what happens to you or to me. There money is in safe accounts in foreign countries.

The big industries are Pharmacy Drugs, Surgeons for Cancers, Doctors of all kinds, Big Sugar, CEOs of Banks, the EPA, and the list goes on and on. Any one of which can lift the phone and have immediate access to the top government officials in this country.
In a depression, you are on your own. And that is why the government is trying desperately to hide the fact we are in a big Depression right now.

GSOB

I sort of suspect that we are in a depression too. Gubment has been controlling the MSM since the great depression. All these years, I am sure they now how to implement
any agenda.

When that control is gone, things will have boiled over and likely into anarchy.

Shawn DeFreitas

Anarchy= communist protocol.

anarchy= reason to enforce martial law on the remaining survivors of the economic and social turmoil.

Richiard

“#11 Today, the United States actually has a higher percentage of workers doing low wage work than any other major industrialized nation does.”

Should be:

“#11 Today, the United States actually has a higher percentage of workers doing low wage work than that of any other major industrialized nation.”

Same point as before, Michael…

jaxon64

“Richiard”..should be “Richard”?…people who struggle to spell their own name should not throw stones……
PS: Michael, you amaze me with the sheer volume of writing that you do. Between your various websites, authoring and the research to accumulate the statistics from the varying sources you demonstrate a work ethic that would shame any govt employee.

On Shadow Statistics, economist John Williams just released his figures on unemployment in The Banana Republic of America for June.

Bogus government figure: 7.6% unemployment.

Williams’ figure, factoring in the millions of Americans who have been unemployed for so long that the government doesn’t include them in
that 7.6%: a whopping 23.4%. So in other words, the REAL unemployment rate in the BRA is at 1932 levels. Yes, 1932: when the Great
Depression was at its worst.

Williams also reports:

• Full-Time Employment Plunged by 240,000 in June

• Economic Issues Accounted for 75% of Gain in Part-Time Employment

• Number of Short-Term Discouraged Workers Increased by 197,000.

Joe Kleinkamp

It’s easy to understand the corporate motivation for offshoring jobs and cutting wages — greed or competition. What’s hard to understand is the mentality of poorly paid working people who are critical to the point of hatred for unions and who stereotype union workers as overpaid thugs. Try to see through the hyped and sensationalized criticism of unions put out by the corporately owned media. You won’t ever see reporting on the millions of union workers who’ve spent careers raising families, paying taxes, volunteering in their communities and pumping their living wage back into their local economies.

wakeupscreaming

In the u.s., ‘union’ and ‘socialism’ have been demonized into swear words.
Yet mostly all your roads, libraries, prisons, schools, etc are all socialized.
I think it’s been a deliberate conditioning from some entity — not sure who to point the finger at.

Shawn DeFreitas

Public sector unions are bad. They protect the incompetent workers. Why do you think female teachers are preying on more students for perversion? The teaching trade unions act in the teacher’s interest regardless of the teacher’s conduct or criminal acts.

Shawn DeFreitas

The problem isn’t being against industrial unions..it’s the public unions in the public sector which encourage the protection of incompetent workers.

How many small businesses are being opened for the past 7 years in America? There are too many laws and restrictions that only the corporations who fund political campaigns are allowed to operate with impunity.

There is no such thing as capitalism in America today!

Joe Kleinkamp

Never a fan of socialism and you might be surprised to find out neither are most of the union people I know. They want to be able to bargain for labor agreements and sell their commodity (labor) to corporations just as the steel companies, utility companies and transportation companies do. Corporations even negotiate tax breaks and other incentives with states and municipalities in return for locating there. Naturally, when labor becomes too expensive or union rules too restrictive companies will examine their options just as they might shop for other suppliers when costs become a concern. But a reasonable labor agreement, of which there are many, can be beneficial to both employer and employee.

AGBrina

The solution is simple! Getting the solution implemented, enforced, and maintained will be extremely difficult. The United States should impose a UNIVERSAL (every and any product or service, from any and every country and territory), UNIFORM (exactly the same rate for everything from everywhere), and PUNITIVE TARIFF ( meant to be so high that there is real incentive to find domestic sources or alternatives to everything that has been imported from everywhere).
The way we are going is disastrous.
The potential for inefficiencies in pricing and distribution during the period of transition to an America-centered economic policy is obvious. But if we persist through it, the private sector will be invigorated, and real wages will rise.

Ean

i tested this theory and it is incorrect. I applied for 3 low wage paying jobs at McDonald, target, and wal mart. I was offered the job the next day. So i am curious where this website is coming from.

wakeupscreaming

Then why didn’t you accept it?

ean

i had an interview and didn’t accept the job. Again, it was a test.

Handog

Well then, all together now.

Happy days are here again
The skies above are clear again
So let’s sing a song of cheer again
Happy days are here again
Altogether shout it now …

ean

and yet no one i know of is unemployed, maybe just the area i live in.

jaxon64

Such a thorough scientific study…you should work for the govt global warming advocacy or an agency attempting to repeal the 2nd amendment….
PS:..the author’s point was that poverty or low wage jobs are all that is available and replacing living wage jobs….and secondly, where do you live?

Shawn DeFreitas

Try applying for a job in New York, Los Angeles or in Toronto, Canada..you will be amazed..

and how were you “offered the job the next day”…did you get an interview done with which corporation? McDonalds, targets or walmarts?

ean

yes. forgot to mention I had the interview. and turned it down.

maby

shure you are living on the moon.

wakeupscreaming

There are two types of jobs: creating products (manufacturing) or service.
Mostly all jobs creating products are now gone to cheap developing countries.

The only reason why service jobs all haven’t moved overseas to the same place is because they require the worker to be physically here ex. Cutting hair, performing surgery, installing hardwood floors, food preparation, etc.
The service jobs that are now leaving are computerized jobs, ex. Technical support, app development and programming.

Trust me, if corporations could send all the remaining jobs left like service jobs to cheap countries, they would have already. And we’d be sitting around doing nothing but shopping.

Bad_Mr_Frosty

What do you think this mass-immigration is all about? So we really need 90,000 new workers every month? Wages are dropping because companies can get “new Americans” to work for a lot less than “traditional Americans”. I can’t remember the last time I had a cashier that could speak English.

John W.

We let it happen. The electorate also voted in Obama twice. Stupid is as stupid does. Once the number of foreign born exceeds the number of those with generational ties to the country it is game over. There will be no affirmative action for the losers.

RarefiedSnotress

I’m in the Tampa area. I’ve seen numbers of temp agencies fold up. To add insult to injury, a lot of times they left their message systems on and didn’t inform people they had closed. You know that this tends to hurt those who need it most.
On the other hand, the good agencies have had decent jobs. Problem is that most of the temp workers/day laborers tend to have addiction issues and go through job after job. Now I have sympathy there, but it’s not always that the jobs aren’t there.
There’s a billboard at McDonalds that tells people to put in applications. I saw someone walk up and ask, and they’re not hiring at this time, but Dollar Tree has a sign up saying that they are.
I consider myself self-employed. I could be going for much higher bucks, but have decided that other things are more important to me at this time. Before I decided this, I saw a job that looked pretty suitable.
And for all that seems bad, house prices have dropped significantly. I’ve chosen not to buy a house yet. I’m waiting for interest rates to rise. I pay $450 rent including water/sewer for a 1/1 condo.. oh, it’s not that big, but I feel secure, the pool sparkles, the elevator works, and the neighbors are nice enough.. best rent I’ve ever paid.

ResilientNews

why in the heck would you wait until interest rates rise? by the way they have been rising…

GSOB

RarefiedSnotress – give thanks to God.

Shawn DeFreitas

When you say temporary workers, I thought you were implying those 100,000s of foreign workers who come to the country to work with poor wages.

In Canada, you will find thousands of graduates competing for a fry cook job, but tens of thousands of foreign workers working jobs below minimum wage.

This wasn’t a big issue until NAFTA came into existence!

Woodsprite29

Actually, Canada has had a problem with immigrants working for less money since 1971 when it became a problem for my age group finding a job. When min wage was $1.25, we would be beat out by immigrants working for $1.00 or less, and willing to live in crowded conditions we would find intolerable. NAFTA just made things worse, in my opinion.

KrustyKrab

Do you see Bikini Bottom letting in millions of immigrants into the community? I would get me more customers, but if they take away the jobs of the longstanding customers, I would lose business.

Rob Kinney

Where I live, south central KY, there also seems to be an increasingly alarming issue of foreign people from India coming over here and buying local businesses like gas stations and hotels, and then slowly pushing out all the American workers, only to turn around and hire an “Indian-only” workforce. It seems like it is happening more and more every year, and is deeply concerning to me.

William Henry Bowen

Rob, that is not just happening where you live. I’ve seen the same thing in California, Ohio and even down south.

Shmeggle Marxist

we should all go back to college and major in Alaskan Lesbian studies. that will qualify us for high paying govt work. Sounds plausible.

KrustyKrab

Actually, feminists and lesbians are a huge stain on society. My Krusty Krab business has male employees, and if feminism was to plague Bikini Bottom, I would be forced to lay off Squidward and Spongebob to hire two female feminists to take their place. And then the feminists will demand that I be replaced with a woman and the Krusty Krab officially becomes Katie Krab.

The worst part of feminism is that my daughter Pearl will be coerced to mate with Plankton because of political correctness.

Jaded

Keep posting, I need a laugh during these times.

Shadowking

I haven’t had a full time job since 2009.

slash345

I haven’t had one since 2008.

Ian

Truck drivers can find a job just about anywhere. I am sure this is true in other fields as well. Problem is that you then have to drive a truck and that can suck. I have been in the industry for four years and get a call from most companies I apply to, currently delivering food to restaurants over 1000 a week. Hard work.

markohio

Yet another excellent article. Thank you Michael for your hard work and effort. Its a pleasure reading your articles. Here in NE Ohio where I reside, there are some jobs. Most not good paying. Usually $10-12 an hour. There are some though that are. Just very hard work and requires the sacrifice of not being 9-5 per sey. Far too many have become lazy. Wanting hand outs rather than putting a hand up. I am one of the lucky 47%. But to secure my future, I am going to start my own business. Just in case something should happen with my job. No job is secure anymore. Lot of leg work and networking, but, all necessary. Keep up the good work Michael.

MichaelfromTheEconomicCollapse

Thank you for the kind words. I spend so many long hours in front of the computer, and it means so much that there are people out there that actually value the hard work that I do.

Michael

Jay

I have not had a full time job in 3 years. Every company I temp at has a ton of workers from India working at it or I am dealing with employees who are in India.

Post Falls Idaho

I haven’t worked in 4 years. I have lost everything. I can’t get a job to save my life…even low paying jobs I would never have tried to get 4 years ago. I’ll be living in a homeless shelter soon. I used to own a house.

2Gary2

Idaho is the low wage capital–maybe try neighboring Washington state that has the highest minimum wage in the country and one of the lowest UE rates. Idaho is a failed state.

Fed UP

Sad to say, Christian ministries are doing the same thing to their people. They don’t care what they pay them or even provide an insurance plan they can afford. They expect you to work for practically nothing because you work for a Christian ministry while all the ones in top positions are living high on the hog. You don’t see them going without and believe me they can take a vacation anytime they want. Where is the Christian love?

Vizar

The “Christian Love” is in their love of their salaries. Had the same issue at our old Mega-Church. They wanted to build a massive almost Casino-like edifice of a church for millions of dollars. I worked toward a functional but less expensive building.

The money we did not waste on palladian windows and granite floors could help the poor as Christ wishes it. Needless to say Jesus and me lost out, the edifice was build for 10 million (phase 1) and I left that place as God had left before me.

Mark Caldwell

The only jobs here are the school system, and the state highway dept, and coal truck driving, and then the county positions, judge, sheriff, etc. Those jobs, all of them are accessible only with nepotism and cronyism. If you don’t ‘know’ someone with major ‘pull’ you are excluded 100% of the time.

Take coal trucking for instance. Many people might think, if you simply own a big truck, well then, you should be able to haul coal. LOL, NO. The ‘authority’ which the drivers haul under is owned by a few companies and a few individuals, and they share the slots available. They only allow ‘certain’ people to haul. There is no billboard saying ‘job opening’. Not on your life.

And the politics of county jobs, forget about it. These people take those positions more seriously than the Cosa Nostra. And to get on with the state you have to ‘know’ someone with ties to the state capital to even waste the time to apply.

It’s why our population in this county hasn’t changed in 20 years, or longer.

Steve

Mark, you sound like you live in Fayette County and I couldn’t agree with you more.

Travis Landers

Move to Montana, the town I live in the unemployment rate is 3.9%..Everyone is hiring!

Guest

Where in Montana?

Travis Landers

Billings

GSOB

Where in Billings?

gonetoshit

You don’t deserve a job with that ignorant comment….

maby

I will use some examples people I know in miami, my friend finish a nurse assistant career now is working part time 2 hours a day for$9.00 hour using her gasoline and no benefits, graduation day event there were more than 5000 students to get the diploma. his son in law is working as executive at burger king .the cia transfer him to a high position same money doing the 3 people job. my cousin used to work for the city all her life and she was transfer to a part time and then get fired, my other cousin work for the postal service and now is making more money and taking more vacation than never before. federal jobs are surviving estate jobs and private industry.

MichaelfromTheEconomicCollapse

I am glad that you enjoyed it!

Has everyone else been enjoying the novel?

Michael

ouchosparks

Wages are no longer a suitable model for distributing productive surplus. The “master-servant’ relationship is dying/dead, and finance capitalism is the cause ot its demise.

KrustyKrab

Capitalism is not the cause. In Bikini Bottom, I hired Spongebob because he knew how to make me some money, ahem, patties and hamburgers.
If I were to locate to the city, I would have to had Spongebob complete hundreds of courses just to become a frycook while a huge corporation could make their patties by influencing government to let them offshore their labour to cheaper markets.

I make more money operating a restaurant in the middle of the sea than if I were to operate my fast food restaurant in a Marxist economy.

Should we expect a downgrade in our standard of living? I would think so if your not prepared…

Kay

Michael, you hit this on the head. Great article- I shared with a ton of people. Particularly the temp agency numbers. It’s so difficult out here in the Southwest to find a non-temp position, you end up settling just so you can work to make ends meet. Another issue is how little jobs pay, it’s like I am at my first job again post high school. Average rates here are like 9 to 12 hourly (12 if you are blessed enough to get it). Temp agency insurance is stupid expensive as well. Many people I know are working multiple part time jobs, where as some have given up (due to age or disability). The middle class is being slaughtered by inflation, decent U.S. jobs being shipped over seas and corporate gangsters. Something has got to give and it shouldn’t be anymore of what the middle class has left.

Sumfuncomet

I live in Coastal Maine and we have a severe shortage of building trades workers, carpenters in particular. It would be very difficult for someone to move here and start a business but to move here and get a job for an existing company, not a problem. Skilled carpentry pays from 18-25 per hour.

Jodi

I’ve noticed a lot lately that there has been now hiring signs everywhere for these low paying jobs. Is it possible that they are having a hard time hiring people? I guess people are content with living off the welfare dole. Is this happening in your area?

2Gary2

maybe these low wage jobs need to pay higher wages if they can not attract folks with their low wages. Supply and demand 101.

shadowking

Hey Michael your article is on the Alex Jones Infowars website.

gonetoshit

Is that a good thing?

XSANDIEGOCA

Let us call it for what it is: The Return of Slavery. 150 years after the Slaughterfest aka the Civil War, Slavery has returned Full Force. Don’t believe it? Click on the Propublica link. This is an excellent article that had me humming “16 Tons, what do ya get? Another day older and deeper in debt”. Yet, the Ruling Elites want to turn the Pressure Cooker on High with Comprehensive Immigration Reform??!! Ponder the State of the Union when 20% of Mexico moves up here! You wanted Declining Hope and Spare Change? You got it! These are Revolutionary Times and explains why DHS has bought all those bullets.

apeman

You already live in The Planet of The Apes… What did you expect?

gonetoshit

Yeah with the Ape in charge of the Whitehouse what did you expect?

Tiaraak

I’m 18 years old, just graduated high school. I’ve been reading your articles for almost a year now and I’m contemplating if I should even continue my education. It’s so hard to explain to people and my family why college is not the way out anymore when everyone is living in a fairytale. You go to school nowadays, just to get into debt and work right back at McDonalds… And the downside is, If I don’t go, I’d get looked down upon. This world and this country is so far gone and people don’t even know it.

Guest

I think you’re wise for your age. If I were a recent high school graduate, I’m not sure what I’d do. It’s so hard to say. I see things getting much, much worse before they get better. Education is a good thing, but is a college degree worth pursuing today? I would try to get an entry-level job somewhere. And if you wish to continue your education, you could take courses part-time at a community college and pay as you go. But study something that you can actually use in the real world.

Tiaraak

Thank you. And that’s what I plan to do, is go to community college part time and pay it off before the interest kicks in. But in a way I feel like I’m lowering my standards because I know Im smart enough to actually go to a university. I don’t know… I’m into Economics, Government and politics (it’s kinda my thing) But even If I pursue that field, I wouldn’t change anything… I swear I wish I was born 30 years ago.

KrustyKrab

In some places Bachelor Degree graduates, Masters degrees and even some Phd graduates are applying for minimum wage jobs these days.

I don’t recall asking Spongebob Squarepants for any high school diploma and how did I end up hiring a pessimistic Squidward who claims to have all the liberal arts intelligence in the world?

I only hire those who know how to work the spatuler at the Krusty Krab. Don’t be a Squidward and waste your life on a degree which isn’t going to make me more money.

William Henry Bowen

Tiaraak, think “trade school”. Yeh I know – not as “classy” as having a college degree but there is a shortage of good auto technicians, plumbers and other skilled trades.

2Gary2

Did you know that just 32 companies avoided enough in 2012 taxes to pay the ENTIRE 2013 federal education budget?

The ‘market’ isn’t working for working people. The rich have
rigged the rules. We ought to keep trying, of course, to reduce the
resulting inequality. But why not, unions are asking, end the rule
rigging?

You all know I am correct–Tax the rich hard and spread the wealth.

KrustyKrab

Yes, Gary the snail from Spongebob Squarepants…in a society of a corrupt government taxing everyone to their balls and ovaries will result in economic change.

The corrupt government will just keep the money and steal it for themselves.

And public sector unions are not the answer to minimum wage issues. The public sector unions are unions using taxpayers’ monies for their cronies’ comfy pensions and increased salaries by 10% per year.

Next time when a student is molested by a public school teacher and the unions protected that teacher, the unions are doing a fine job—for the cronies and incompetent public sector workers.

GSOB

What, the gubmit tax the gubmit?

steve

I live near Charleston, SC and there does not seem to be any jobs outside of the govt sector. I work as a local police officer and have been looking to change careers, but honestly it isn’t worth it. We are not Union down here either..17.00/ hr before taxes.

Shmeggle Marxist

Gary the garbage spewer wants more of your money. please urinate on his face every chance you get

saintmatty

Time to make your own job. Take back America. Buy local as much as possible. Network with neighbors.

jaded

THIS!!! So much.

slash345

Yep. Time to get into the drug trade.

I’m serious. lol

mikesun88

You know I have to talk rite now. And I feel we all need to connect with our hearts and pray for each other! We all should not give up on ourselves, and how beautiful we all are! You everyone of you are POWERFUL< BEAUTIFUL>TOGETHER! Just think if every town and city in America 30% or even 20% did something. Like create and manufacture clothing, food, technology etc. Think of the change that will bring in due time! Think about this, if 20% to 30% of the population of each city or town, would do this. Mostly everyone would turn away from huge chain stores that are destroying our way of life. All the made in china, or other place taking our way of life, jobs, etc. Come on I believe in ALL OF US!!! LETS DO THIS!!! Much LOVE PRAYER AND BLESSINGS TO EVERYONE!!! :))))))))))) :))))))))))))) :))))))))))))))))

2Gary2

Michael-my sons friends dad works at walmart-lost a good job at the newspaper. He said walmart now hires all new employees on as temp workers for the first 90 days. I guess it is a new temp to hire program. Now you know the economy is bad when wal-mart is a temp to hire job.

This is walmarts plan to reduce their high turnover. Maybe if they paid good wages which they could easily afford to do their turnover would be fixed.

Walmart is the welfare queen.

2Gary2

Here is the deal–There is no real economic issues. There is plenty of money for all. Its just in the hands of too few people to generate enough demand to get us out of the depression.

Our problems are largely political and not economical.

Other countries have faced the same pressures we have and have chosen a vastly better political solution–see the Nordic countries.

mattjerch

really like your articles. but, on long island people are putting pools in,hitting the hamptons and Montauk and taking vacation like crazy and buying new cars and eating out like crazy

El Pollo de Oro

People in the nice parts of Bogotá and Mexico City are also eating in expensive restaurants, taking expensive vacations and wearing expensive Armani suits. Of course, they’re also being kidnapped, carjacked, violently home-invaded and shoved into car trunks bound and gagged by desperate people who live in the slums.

Ralfine

A friend of mine just went to America with his whole family, because he got a Director’s job there. Must be well paid.

Mike M

I’m a 23 year old Caucasian male in the surrounding area of Los Angeles, California. I went to community college just shy of 2 years, but was overwhelmed trying to support myself and pay student fees making minimum wage. I chose to drop out of college and pick up sales as a profession, not a career. I sold furniture for a while, working 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week and every weekend and holiday. It was commission only based, so I had to sell if I wanted to eat. Could work a 60+ hour work week and not even make minimum wage if we weren’t selling.. There was no guaranteed. I did moderately well, making around $35k last year including bonuses.. Not bad for an entry level position with no education. The unsteady income was the hardest part for me.. I could make $2500 one month and make 900$ the next.. Unfortunately my boss was adamant about employees being at work, and I was fired after calling in sick for a family emergency. I was then unemployed for about 6 months, spending hours daily applying for jobs and sending resumes vigorously. I finally got hired at Verizon selling cell phones. I’m extremely tech savvy and self taught in the IT field, but with no formal education or certification I can’t land a job in an industry I believe I’d excel in. So I took my sales experience and set off to work for Verizon. Little did I know, theres a fixed rate for commission which is extremely difficult to reach quotas in my bad location with poor traffic. I was told at hire 8$/hr + commission, however they neglected to tell me commission was taxed 40% and they hold back the commission checks for 2 months. I worked for 2 months making $400/biweekly after taxes, and could barely afford to pay my bills and eat. I made more money off of unemployment from my last job ($700/biweekly) than I do now.. and I make about 1/3rd of what I did selling furniture on strictly commission. I worked 3 months and still never received a commission check.. I started looking for other jobs and luckily got hired (temp-to hire) for a sourcing company providing resources for the government sector. I start this coming Monday and it pays 14/hr + commission. I’m moving to Orange County just to try and make this job work, renting a room in a house full of strangers just for the HOPE and possibility that this job will work out. I’ve never been in this type of field, but it’s either succeed or starve for me and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I get hired permanently. I’m constantly striving for better and looking for better jobs.. I just want to better myself and have a steady job so I can support my family. Isn’t that the American dream? I know 14$/hour isn’t going to support a family and buy a house.. But what other choices do I have? I would be eternally content and greatfull to make $18.50 an hour.. But I just think that’s far too unrealistic in today’s economy. Now I know I’m not the worst off in the world, and I am greatfull to even have a job. However, I’m almost 24 years old and I still don’t know what I want to be when I “grow up,” whenever that is. Ive considered joining the marine core, but I’m unsure of I could leave my family for such long deployments. If anyone has any advise or could give me a sense of direction (that I haven’t been able to find myself) it would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to email me at mwmilligan@icloud.com. God bless and may we all strive to better ourselves and America, our failing country.

Virgil Cane

When I graduated college with my undergrad and with teaching experience, I was confident I would find work in my field. After putting myself through college working 3rd shift at a grocery store, I thought I had put my dues in. Well over 150 applications and 6 months later and I only got one offer, which I had to take to get off third shift. 10 bucks an hour, no insurance, no benefits, over a 45 minute drive to and from. Decided to go back for a masters so I could improve my life. On a whim, went to a job fair and was hired by a great company. It took me until last February to get down to having only one job. Burlington Vt/Concord NH area. Bad here but not as bad as other places I’ve seen.

Tim

You have 30 years of accounting experience and can’t find a job? Wow. Things are worse than I thought.

Mondobeyondo

Back when Ray Charles was alive, I used to have a pet phrase – “It’s so obvious, even Ray Charles could have seen it coming”. (For those of you who don’t know, Ray Charles was a blind R&B/pop musician).

And so it is with the American economy circa 2013.

Part time jobs did not create the economic force America was in the early and mid-20th century. Those were high paying, full time industrial and mechanical jobs that did that. You don’t rise to economic greatness by having workers employed at Wal-Mart, McDonald’s and Officemax.

A steelworker manufacturers steel products that can be made to build buildings. A woodworker or forestry worker – the same. An auto worker builds vehicles which can be sold all over the world (well, it used to be that way). Time was, you’d look at a news broadcast from any foreign country, and see Chevrolets, Fords, Jeeps, etc. on the street. Not anymore.

Our “modern” service economy? Those jobs produce little or nothing of substance. They are SERVICE industries. The economic decline is well underway. And yes, even Ray Charles (rest his soul) could have seen it coming.

Covington

“This is not Mexico. It is not Guatemala or Honduras. This is Chicago, New Jersey, Boston.”

Sure looks like Mexico from the signs in front of the Walmart in the picture.

Great article. The facts stated are truly remarkable. When I share information like this with people from Mexico they can’t believe it. Average folks in Mexico still think that life is better in the US.

Mondobeyondo

“Jose, can you see… by the dawn’s early light”…

Life in the U.S. still is better than in many, many parts of Mexico. People everywhere yearn for a better life, and have taken extraordinary measures to attain it, or even the possibility of it.

I have no problems with immigrants, as long as they enter LEGALLY. Scurrying under a chain link fence is not entering legally. That is the main focus of the immigration debate that’s consuming Arizona right now.

The fact that so many are willing to do this – means they must be desperate beyond measure. If you crawl under the fence at Nogales, and think you can cross the 120 degree desert to Phoenix with just a gallon bottle of water… wow. You’re either insane, or have an incredible desire for a better life. Hate to tell you this, but – you won’t make it.

El Pollo de Oro

There’s a dark-humored Mexican song called “Tres Veces Mojado,” which in Spanish, means “Three Times a Wetback. It was a big hit for Los Tigres del Norte, and it’s about a Salvadoran who has been an illegal immigrant in three different countries: Guatemala, then Mexico, and now, the BRA.

Now, here’s the part that’s really mind-blowing: if you look at lists of the poorest countries in the world, Guatemala and El Salvador don’t even make the top 50.

slash345

I assume we deport all of the immigrants who entered the country as far back as 1998 and that’ll open up millions of new jobs over night.

Mondobeyondo

Jobs with almost guaranteed security:

– Mortician
– Firefighter
– Policeman/woman
– Prison guard
– Congress critter (say the right things so you can get re-elected every term until you retire)

If you’re qualified for any of these, go for it…

Crony

If this were George Bush in office, can you imagine the howls in the Press? The wailing and gnashing of teeth? The soup kitchen lines? The blame game?

God we have a vile nation at this point in time. Corrupt Press, corrupt leadership. Make it stop . . . .

David

Thanks Michael, so true as always.

El Pollo de Oro

About those “women, even poor women” who “prefer a man who has a car and a net worth”………..couldn’t those women get in touch with their inner feminist, burn their bras, shout “I am woman, hear me roar” and pay for dinner? Oh, wait…….I forgot: “feminism” usually ends when the dinner check arrives, as Prof. Tom Leykis often says.

cascadian

I recommend that everyone look into the “New Message from God.” It offers a vital preparation for economic collapse and the unknown waters ahead…

xbox361

don’t worry, just give Barack a third term and he will fix things

kenfrombayside

Most people who become elig. for SSA dib suck at life and stay on that program until they reach 65. Most people who attempt to go on this program feign mental issues and a bad back. These are the hardest to prove. Hence, most applicants are rejected at the first level and have to wait several years to go before the ALJ. Congress had to curb this fraudulent program.

Ann

I’m so scared I won’t find a job I was laid off making 80k a year 6 months ago now can’t even get a call back

slash345

i live in texas and the population is exploding here because so many people are moving here from all over the country….no…all over the world…

jobs are scooped up as soon as they hit the help wanted section in the newspaper. there aren’t any jobs in texas, unless you’re an engineer or a nurse. you can’t even get a job in the oil field anymore because there’s so many people lined up to scoop up any job they offer whether its digging ditches or not. you’re lucky to get a job at mcdonalds or in the oil field digging ditches.

if you don’t have a college degree you are better off just committing suicide, something i’m contemplating now

wowow

Rural Arizona economy is a weak shell in denial

this is what you get..food gas wine toilet paper dog food. “MAD” mangled american dream and getting worse!